


Won't Point Any fingers

by dragonlands



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Awkwardness, Character Study, F/M, M/M, Rose Petals, Truth or Dare, a very unpassionate relationship, bucky and steve are oblivious idiots, kind of, sharon is cool, this has no sex so i have no idea how to tag, yeah and the whole thing is sharon's pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 15:31:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13056864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonlands/pseuds/dragonlands
Summary: Sharon isn't sure what she thought when she started flirting with Captain America, and when they end up in a relationship she's more confused than anything. Is this how love's supposed to feel, or is she clinging to a sinking ship? And why does Bucky keep giving her dirty looks, no matter how hard she tries to befriend the man?Or, Sharon learns that some relationships just aren't meant to be.





	Won't Point Any fingers

**Author's Note:**

> Sharon Carter deserves so much better than what she was in MCU, so I wanted to explore her character while still keeping true to my love for Stucky. In this fic I expected that Peggy had a secret second brother that she didn't keep in touch with, so Sharon's grandfather is not Michael. Title from Zayn's song Truth (this is the third fic I name after his lyrics maybe I should start listening to something else while I'm writing, oops)

Sharon's heart was still racing as she stood opposite to Steve, his face suddenly closer than she'd expected. She was used to fighting, that wasn't why her head was spinning. She just wasn't used to defying orders, and to everything falling apart. And Peggy was gone. That must've been the reason all this was happening.

Well, not _all_. Steve's lips were on hers, they were soft and asking for permission. Nothing like the kisses from guys at clubs she remembered. She hadn't kissed anyone in a while, and she remembered reading somewhere how your mind supposedly blanked out when your crush kissed you, and you just went with it. There must've been something wrong with her mind since it was bursting with thoughts and memories.

_Was_ she attracted to Steve? He was attractive. As hell. She remembered having a secret crush on him when she was little after listening to Peggy's bedtime stories of him. But she had a crush on almost every fictional character. Steve hadn't really been special. Or had he? She could almost remember thinking of him way more often than her other heroes. But that could just be her mind making it up.

She remembered Peggy telling of her and Steve's first kiss. She had thought it was stupid, way too cliché, and told this to Peggy. She had laughed. Daniel had told of his and Peggy's first kiss at the office, and Sharon had told him it was only slightly better. At that point of her childhood she had decided that all romance was gross, and true stories must have fights in them. Daniel had laughed, and pecked Peggy's cheek. Sharon had asked to hear about the time Peggy went undercover to realease the russian spy from S.S.R.

Steve pulled back, and Sharon freaked out inside. Had she done something wrong? Did she even know how to kiss anymore? Had she ever kissed anyone while sober?

"That was...," she said, suddenly not sure how to finish the sentence. How had it been?

Steve smiled. "Late," he said. Sharon nodded.

"Damn right." She wasn't sure why she'd said that. Was it late? It had been two years since he'd asked her out for a coffee. He had never taken her up on that offer, first he left to Sokovia and then disappeared to look for the Winter Soldier. Who was now sitting at the back of his car, who she was risking her career for.

She glimpsed at him. It looked like he was trying to smile, but either he wasn't very good at it or was currently not feeling happy at all. Steve was ready to risk his life for that man, and she hoped it was worth it. Sam smirked at them.

"I should go," she said. Steve nodded, smiled one last time, and then they parted ways.

...

She continued her work normally, and the news rolled in. Steve and Tony fought each other at an airport. Then at Siberia. Steve and Bucky disappeared. Steve returned after a few months, alone, but it took weeks before Sharon saw him again.

This time, he appeared behind her door, real door at her real home, with two dozen red roses. Somehow the flowers reminded her of Peggy, red had been her favourite color. She used to wear lipstick exactly the shade of the roses.

"They're beautiful," she told him.

"I wasn't sure if you'd like them," Steve said, and he looked almost frightened. When he'd first spoken to Peggy, he'd told her he had no idea how to talk to women. Seventy years ago. A few years ago. She realized she and her great aunt were possibly the only two people who had ever kissed Captain America, and the thought didn't exactly make her relaxed. She turned her back to him, with the excuse of looking for a vase. "I mean modern women don't want to be treated like 40s women, right? Which is cool, I mean. I'm amazed with how much progress has happened. Peggy would be proud."

"She was," Sharon said. She took a deep breath before she turned to face Steve again, and smiled brightly. "She marched for it all, you know? Women's rights. Black lives matter. Marriage equality."

"There's no one like her," he said. She nodded. That was true, painfully so. Sharon wasn't Peggy. What was she doing with her old boyfriend three months after her death? What did he see in her? What did _she_ see  in _him_? Red, white, blue and puppy eyes? A nice body? A very nice body that made Sharon feel shitty about hers. As a kid, she was stronger than all the boys. Then, puberty happened and boys were all suddenly head taller than her, much stronger. She had to train three times as hard to catch up, and she still couldn't grow muscles that would show anyone that they shouldn't pick a fight with her. Steve had just gotten all that from a bottle.

"So," she said, cocking her head. "What brings you here?"

"You promised me a date two years ago," he said, a smile playing on the corner of his lips.

"I'm not the one who keeps disappearing."

"So when are you free?"

"It's your lucky day," she said. "Today's my day off. But you already knew that, didn't you?"

He shrugged sheepishly. "Maybe."

Steve took her to a small coffee house, that he told was Tony Stark's favourite.

"I know," she said, looking around. It was cozy and private, and the waiters didn't get starstuck about serving billionares or superheroes. "We usually come here when we see each other."

"You what?" Steve asked, and Sharon felt smug for making him confused. "Did you, um. Were you together at some point?"

She could barely fight her giggle. "God, no. He is - was - Peggy's godson. We used to hang out a lot at hers; me, Tony, her own grandchildren. Home wasn't the best place for me or him. You and him are close?" she asked, blowing at her latte to make it cool down faster. She didn't want Steve to start asking questions about her childhood, it was what it was. And it's not like she was beat up or anything.

Since the latte still burned her tongue when she sipped it she gave up, and took a spoonful of the carrot cake instead. It was heavenly, as always. No one made carrot cake like they did here.

"Sometimes," Steve said. "Right now, we're still working on it. He still hasn't quite forgiven me."

"For wanting to save your friend?" she ashed.

"For lying to him about his parents," Steve said. "Among other things. He knows Bucky wasn't responsible for what he did, mostly he's just angry with me. And I understand. I would hate me too."

"You were trying to do the right thing," she said. Her mind was blank, and the conversation terrified her. She wanted to comfort him, wanted to be a good listener but finding the right things was much harder than in the movies. What would Peggy say?

"Trying isn't enough in my profession," he said. He was stirring his coffee with such force that she feared he would break his cup. The sugar cubes had melted ages ago. "I was supposed to be the leader of my team, and I failed them. How will anyone trust me ever again?"

"I trust you," she said. "It's not a crime to care for your friends. Loyalty is usually considered a positive trait." She smiled, and after a moment of hesitation placed her hand on top of his. He didn't move it away. He turned it around and pressed her hand in his.

"Thanks Peg- Sharon." He lifted his eyes to hers, looking frightened again. She looked away, feeling nauceous. _You will never be Margaret_ her mother had hissed at her when she told them she was joining SHIELD. They had wanted her to go to med school and become a doctor. _Isn't that feminist enough for you?_ They had asked. She knew they just wanted her to be safe, but also, her grandfather and Peggy had never been very close. She wasn't expected to keep in touch with that branch of the family. They thought SHIELD was suspicious, dangerous and most of all, not a real job.

But Peggy and Daniel had been so supportive that none of it mattered. She never told anyone her real surname at work so people wouldn't start comparing her to a legend, like her parents had. Some days she had still felt like she wasn't enough, and went to Peggy and Daniel's house straight after work.

_"I can't ever be like you, Peggy," she had sobbed._

_"That's right," she had said, petting her hair. Daniel had brought her a cup of hot cocoa like she was still ten and had hurt her knee climbing a tree. Though she had never cried, then. "I became an agent at a time when women weren't supposed to work at all. I worked hard and when doors closed on my face I kicked them in."_

_"Damn right you did," Daniel had said, always so proud of his wife. That had made Sharon laugh a little between her tears, and she accepted the hot cocoa Daniel was offering. They both had had their arms around her._

_"My point is, the things I did were extraordinary because I was a woman doing them at a time when women were expected to stay home and take care of children," Peggy had said. " You, on the other hand have so many opportunities."_

_"Because you fought for them," Sharon had said._

_"Yes. But the world is far from ready. Me and Daniel have lived long enough to see our first black president. Maybe we'll live to see the first female president, or the first queer president, maybe not, but I'm sure you will. But you'll need to fight for it, for a better world."_

_She had nodded furiously. "I will, always."_

_"That's our girl."_

"I'm sorry," Steve said quietly.

"It's okay," Sharon said, faking a smile. "She's not a bad person to be mistaken for."

"You do know that I don't only date you because I see her in you, right?" he asked, and she knew he was trying to be kind but it hurt like hell because now that was all she could think about. One of the first things that she'd said to him had been something Peggy had told her, and she realized now that it had been a mistake. Back then she hadn't thought of the possibility of going out with him.

"Of course."

...

She saw Steve again after a while, and they went to the movies. Steve had somehow succeed to avoid 3D movies until then and he was amazed. Sharon loved the way his eyes lit up at things that excited him. To be honest, Sharon didn't remember the last time she went to the movies either.

Their third date, Steve asked her to train with him at the Avengers Tower. He had talked about the gym and she'd gotten so curious he promised to show it. Apparently him and Tony were civil again.

She had fun, they were able to teach each other some new moves, and after a few hours they were both out of breath. When Sharon was trying to teach Steve Tomoe Nage he must've feared for her safety because was too gentle with the throw, and she ended up falling on top of him. He looked at her eyes, lips, eyes. She thought about kissing him, but they were both sweaty and the idea wasn't appealing at all. Her own lips were salty enough. They hadn't kissed since the parking lot after Peggy's funeral. Thinking about Peggy's death certainly didn't put her on the mood.

She was almost relieved when someone walked in the room. She lifted her head to see Tony, who had stopped at the door.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked.

"No," she said, shifting awkwardly. She glanced at Steve who was looking at Tony, cheeks flaming red.

"That's a senior citizen laying under you, Sharon," Tony said. "Take good care of him. And Steve, you of her."

Steve and her both nodded obediantly, and Tony left the gym. She rolled off Steve, and they went back to practising judo flips. It was awkward for a while.

When they quit, she thought about asking him to join her at the shower. Then she remembered that he was probably a virgin, and decided against it. He seemed like the type who expected rose petails and soft jazz from his first time, not slipping on tiles and accidentally turning the water ice cold. To be honest, she was so worn out that sex wasn't on the top ten list of things she wanted either.

...

Steve was immersed in a book when she came out of the bathroom. There were tears falling down his face.

"What are you reading?" she asked as she curled next to him.

"Brideshead Revisited," Steve said, not putting the book away.

"What's it about?"

"The war. And the time before the war."

"Don't try to talk to Steve when he's reading," Sam said as he he entered the room. "It's like Tony when he's working. If I was you I'd just leave now. Hopeless."

He was laughing, so she figured he wasn't being serious about leaving. She jumped on her feet and offered her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Sam. Officially."

He took her hand. "Likewise."

She heard a thud when Steve finally closed his book. "Are you trying to steal my date?" he asked. He wiped his tears away like it was nothing, something Sharon had always found strangely interesting about bookworms; the way they could go from one world to other under seconds.

"Thought you wouldn't notice," Sam said, and sat next to them.

"Do you like reading?" Steve asked her. She shook her head.

"Never had the patience for books. I loved comics as a kid, though."

"Captain America?" he teased. She laughed.

"I read a few, but to be honest I got bored of them quite fast," she said.

"Too much flag waving," Sam agreed. "Which ones did you like, then?"

"I love scifi, Valerian and Laureline was one of my favourites."

"Valerian and Laureline was the best," Sam said. "I can't believe they ruined to movie like that."

"I haven't seen it yet," she said. "Probably won't, if it's that bad."

"And here's another thing to add on my list," Steve said, then sighed. "I'm gonna make coffee. Who wants a cup?"

...

After a while the news that the Anti-Winter Soldier serum was ready arrived. Steve was ready to leave immediately, he dropped everything for his best friend. Sharon offered to come with him, but he said that he needed to go alone. She understood.

They texted a few times while Steve was in Wakanda. He texted when Bucky woke up, when the serum was inserted and when Bucky was in pain, when the serum was proved to work. Bucky didn't react to his trigger words with violence anymore, but he still panicked. She texted she missed him, and Steve texted _Miss you too_. She wasn't sure if either of them really meant it. She missed the athmosphere at the Tower, Sam, Natasha, Wanda, Clint, seeing Tony regularly again, but she wasn't sure if she was supposed to go without Steve.

Him and Bucky returned after two weeks. Sharon had always been a terrible cook, she took after her mother at that if not at anyhting else, but she wanted to do something for her boyfriend's best friend. She found a recipe online and baked cookies following the recipe carefully. In the end, she was pretty proud of her work. They didn't look like the ones in the picture, but they tasted good which was what mattered. She decorated them so they looked like tiny Captain America shields.

She went to pick them up from the airport with the cookies, and it took a while to find them since she had only used the normal side of the airport and they were flying on Tony's private plane. She saw them before they saw her.

They had their arms around each other, and Bucky was laughing at something with his head thrown back while Steve had his buried on Bucky's shoulder. She had never seen them this happy.

She waved with the cookies, then stopped aruptly in fear that they would break. She called out their names. They noticed her and Steve's smile remained the same, but Bucky's dropped. She had a strange feeling that the man didn't like her, and he was terrifying when he was angry.

Steve gave her a quick kiss when she reached them. She looked at Bucky who was eyeing her suspiciously from head to toe.

"I, um, made you cookies," she said and handed him the box. "I wasn't sure what you liked but then I thought that well, you like Steve so they're shaped like his shield."

"You thought I liked Steve?" Bucky asked, unimpressed. He held the cookie box as if it was a grenade about to explode. Steve removed the lid, and took one in his hand. Sharon was nervous. She suddenly understood why people who liked to bake offered things they'd made to everyone, then asked if it was good even when it certainly was.

"They're cute," he said, and took a bite. "Amazing. Bucky, you need to try one."

He offered Bucky the one he'd bitten, and now the man accepted it. "It's good," he said, and took another bite. Steve laughed and told him to get his own cookie, but ended up feeding the whole thing to Bucky anyway.

"I have a car parked outside, SHIELD priviledges, but the taxi drivers would be happy if we left soon." Steve nodded, and they followed her out of the building.

Though at first Bucky had seemed reluctant about the cookies, they spent the drive arguing over them. She reminded them that she had baked them with Bucky in mind, and Steve pouted.

...

Sharon and Steve hardly went out together, and she was fine with that. She liked spending time with his friends, and got especially well along with Sam and Natasha since they liked a lot of the same things. Steve and Tony were friends again, and even Bucky and Tony had miraculously started getting along. She was happy about all that, but everybody else getting along so well seemed to underline the fact that for some reason, Bucky still didn't like her.

She knew he was the most important person in Steve's life so she did everything to make him like her; she laughed at his jokes, defended him on his and Steve's good hearted arguments but he always glared at her like he wished she would just disappear. It wasn't even hateful, if he'd been mean she wouldn't have felt bad about being mean right back. He seemed almost sad. Mostly annoyed.

She confronted him about it once, when Steve went to the bathroom.

"What's your problem with me?" she asked.

"I don't have a problem with you," he grunted. He smiled, and it was so fake she raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm glad you're making him happy."

Then Steve came back and their conversation was cut short.

One day, Steve suggested they should go on a real date, to some nice restaurant. She agreed. Maybe that's what their relationship needed. Maybe they would drink a little wine, whisper dirty things to each other during the dessert and leave early to make sweet love on rose petals. Or something. She wondered if rose petals were uncomfortable when they stuck to sweaty skin.

He came to pick her up from her apartment, and she realized this was the first time in a month that she'd seen him without Bucky.

She was wearing a blue jumpsuit, dresses had always made her uncomfortable. Steve told her she was beautiful. She told him he was handsome. She wasn't sure if she liked the situation at all, traditional gender roles made her feel icky. But it wasn't Steve's fault, so she just kept smiling. He wandered to look at the photos on her wall.

"What's this from?" he asked. She stepped closer to see which one he was talking about. It was the one with colors and happy faces.

"2004 pride," she said. "Peggy and Daniel always went to it, even when it was still a protest. They took their kids too, and when they had kids they brought them too. I started going with them when I was ten."

"This is you, Peggy and... Daniel? Her husband?" She nodded. "I don't mean to sound like someone from the last century but. Well. I thought the parade was for gay people? Why was a straight couple taking part in it?"

"Your excuse is valid," she laughed. "The word you're looking for is queer. Not just the gays. And it's not just for queer people, every straight cis person taking part makes the parade bigger, and it's a way of showing that you support them. Pride is about celebating our differences, about accepting everyone as they are. And they weren't a straight couple. Peggy was bisexual."

"Bisexual?" he asked.

"Attracted to both genders," she explained.

"But she was married to a man?" he asked. "Doesn't that make her straight?"

She shook her head. If it was anyone else she would've been on the verge of shouting right now, but Steve had gotten his education at a time when being gay was still illegal. And he had spent his time in the 21st century fighting, not reading about social justice. "No. Being bisexual means the possibility of liking both men and women, but just like a straight or gay person you can settle for one person. For example, let's say you're a straight man and you like both curvy and skinny women. You can fall in love with a curvy woman and be satisfied with only her. But if you break up with her and start looking for a new woman, you're fine with them being curvy or skinny, right?"

"Oh." Steve sat down. Sharon looked around, she wasn't sure what had happened to him. "I understand." It was almost a whisper. "I need to use your bathroom."

"Of course." She pointed him to the right door.

When he came out, he looked bright again. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"Have been since you came here."

(They didn't make sweet love on rose petals that night. They ate, talked, and then he escorted her home like the gentleman he was, and left after giving her a good night kiss.)

...

Sharon had agreed to go shopping with Wanda. She didn't really like looking at clothes and trying them on, but she liked Wanda's company. It had been way too long since she had done anything that wasn't work related with anyone else than Steve. It was nice having friends. And with Wanda, she didn't need to stress the whole time whether she should kiss her or not.

When they came back to the Tower Tony told her that Steve should be somewhere, so she said goodbye to Wanda and went looking for him. He wasn't at any of the public spaces so she headed for his room that he temporarily shared with Bucky. The door was slightly ajar and she was about to push it open when she heard voices.

"Charles is acting like a fucking idiot," Bucky said, clearly annoyed with whoever Charles was. "He should be helping Sebastian, not hitting on his sister."

"I know, right?" Steve said. "Is it just me or does the whole romance between Charles and Lydia feel forced?"

Sharon quessed it was a book. Steve had made Bucky read some of the books he had read, and they talked about them constantly. It bored her, so she always started talking about comics or movies with Sam.

"I think he only loves her because he sees someone else in her," Bucky said, and Sharon stepped closer to the door to see their faces. For a minute she had forgotten they were talking about a book, and thought they were talking about Steve and her.

"Sebastian," Steve agreed. They were laying in bed, both with a book in hand. Bucky's head was on Steve's lap and Steve kept running his fingers through his hair. Sharon held her breath, she didn't want them to notice her. The scene screamed romance, and she didn't know what to think. They had never laid like that with Steve, but then again, Steve and Bucky had known each other their whole lives. It could've been just close friendship. She imagined what it would've looked if they were both girls – clearly platonic. But then again, people were always trying to make lesbians seem like just friends.

She left, without making her presence known, and returned home, alone.

...

Steve was the only one at the Tower common room when she arrived to their movie night, and this time he was drawing something with pastels. It was the outline of the city below, exquisitely detailed.

"It's beautiful," she said. He looked up and smiled, so she kissed him. "Can I look at the others?"

He hesitated a moment before handing his sketchbook to her. There were studies of different household objects, and at least one portrait of each habitant of the Tower, and her. But most of the pictures were about the same subject: his best friend.

Bucky smiling as he was chatting with Sam. He never looked like that when Sharon was in the room. Bucky when he had fallen asleep on the couch. Bucky working out, shirtless. Sharon stole a glance at Steve to make sure that yes, he was blushing. She had been an idiot all this time, and she wanted to hit her head repeatedly against a wall. On the next page there was an incredible portrait of Bucky, each line was carefully drawn and the shape of his lips, the arch of his neck, the way his hair fell on his eyes were all so lifelike. His eyes looked at her accusingly from the page.

"You should be an artist," she said, and handed back the sketchbook, keeping her face neutral.

"That was the plan," Steve said. "But then the war started. And then I died. And imagine if I just announced now that Captain America's going to stop defending the world to draw some pictures."

"It doesn't need to be either or," she said. He shrugged.

The others arrived slowly, one by one, and when everybody was there they begun the movie. Sharon didn't really like it, it was some new romantic comedy and she hated the genre so she kept whispering with Natasha about unrelated things the entire time. They went to get the group more beers and spent at least fifteen minutes chatting at the fridge about how awful the movie was.

After it ended they started a game of truth or dare. Clint had been dared to sit on Natasha's lap for one round but he stayed there, and they kept making out between turns. Sam told them to get a room. Natasha gave him the finger with her tongue deep in Clint's mouth.

Sharon wondered if she would ever have someone who loved and wanted her that bad, and who she loved and wanted back like that. She had come to realize that Steve certainly wasn't the Clint to her Natasha, and to be honest she was just mildly disappointed. She craved the feeling but Steve had never lit a fire inside her.

Next, it would be her turn to ask the question, and she thought that maybe if she stared at the bottle hard enough it would do as she wanted. She wondered if Wanda had cheated at some point of the game – she would've if she had her powers and an agenda. The bottle stopped at Steve, so she turned to him with something that was weirdly like exitement bubbling inside her.

"Truth or dare?" she asked.

He didn't hesitate long before answering, "Dare," and she made an internal victory dance.

She smiled innocently. This was the moment she'd been waiting the whole night.

"I dare you to make out with Bucky," she said.

"Bad idea, Goldilocks," Tony said. "There are more sparks flying that direction than y -ow" Pepper had elbowed him, and he batted his lashes to make her forgive. She rolled her eyes.

"Well?" Sharon asked Steve when he still hadn't moved. Bucky was staring at her with wide eyes, for once there was no disapproval, just confusion and even fear. His eyes went to Steve when he noticed he'd gotten closer, actually about to do it.

Steve put his hand on Bucky's neck, carefully like he was touching a flower petal. He leaned in slowly, and their both eyes fell shut when their lips met. Wanda cheered. Bucky's hand was on Steve's chest, he was clutching it, and their lips were moving together with ease Steve had never had with Sharon. She had done this to be sure, and she was more than sure now. These two idiots were hopelessly in love with each other, and it explained everything.

She wasn't sure what counted as making out, but it took them at least a minute before they pulled apart. Both looked disassosiated from the rest of them, like they had forgotten where they were and what year it was. Steve backed away slowly, like Bucky's lips were a magnet trying to pull him back. Sharon smiled softly to herself, feeling happy and sad simultaneously. She wasn't sad about losing Steve, that had been a long time coming, but looking around she saw happiness and love and she was all alone, again. Wanda had her head on Vision's lap, Pepper was laughing at something Tony said, Jane was playing with Thor's hand and Natasha and Clint were still making out. Bucky and Steve were making heart eyes at each other, probably thinking they were being subtle. Sharon looked at Sam, who raised his brows at her as if to ask why she was actively ruining her relationship. She shrugged.

They kept playing normally until Natasha carried Clint away and Pepper kept dozing off on Tony's shoulder. Finally, her, Steve and Bucky were the only three people in the common room. Bucky got up.

"Night," he said, looking at Steve who looked back at him in confusion. Sharon sighed. Without her, these idiots would keep pining forever.

"Sit down," she told him, and pointed to the floor to make her point clear.

"I really do feel sleepy." Bucky yawned dramatically. "You two continue without me."

"I'm leaving Steve," she said when it threateningly looked like Bucky was about to exit the room. It worked, he froze on his feet and slowly turned around.

"What?" him and Steve said at the same time.

Sharon turned to Steve now that Bucky was temporarily secured. "We both have known for a while that this is not working out. I'm not Peggy. I don't want to be with someone who only sees me as a way to make up for some lost dances. I can't even fucking dance."

"That's not true," Steve said.

"I honestly don't know how to dance. Skipped all the proms in high school to beat a boxing bag."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"Steve, I don't love you," she said, her heart beating as if she was confessing her love instead of the lack of it. "You don't love me. There's really nothing complicated about it. I do like you and I want to stay friends, really friends and not just the way where you promise that when you break up and never see each other again. But whenever we kiss I keep thinking about Peggy's funeral or my grocery lists or whether the way I feel is the right way to feel during a kiss and I know that's not how it's supposed to be like. A real kiss is supposed to be like the one you shared with Bucky today."

Bucky finally sat down. Sharon was pleased.

"What are you saying?" Steve asked.

"I am saying that you're idiots and if you had grown up in the modern world I would hit you both with something but I understand how hard it must've been to be in love with your best friend at a time when homosexuality was a crime and bisexuality wasn't talked about so I just feel bad for you."

She had been pacing in front of them, but she sat down on the couch and rubbed her temples, trying to find the right words that would make Peggy proud. She felt a jolt of pride when she realized this was something that had been right in front of Peggy, but she never picked it up. Obviously, it was because even she was a product of her time and because Steve had truly loved her too, but she wanted to have this moment. She glanced up, as if to ask for guidance from Peggy and Daniel.

_Ride it, my pony_

_my saddle's waiting_

Sharon wondered who had picked the music, because it certainly wasn't making it easier to have a serious conversation. Maybe Friday had a strange sense of humor.

"Listen to this song," she said. _Maybe_ she had had a few beers too many. Steve cocked his head, and went bright red after a moment. Bucky's expression didn't change. "That's what you two should be doing. His saddle's waiting and all that. And my bed, so have a good night together, this is where I leave."

Both men stared at her with their mouths hanging slightly agape as she left the room. She really hoped they wouldn't just stay like that the whole night, but there was nothing more she could do. She had already interwined enough.

But on the other hand... If they would actually get their shit together sometime today, there was one more thing she could do for them. She remembered thinking about how Steve's first time should be, and rose petals still sounded very fitting. And if the looks Steve and Bucky had been giving each other through the game were any indicator, he was probably going to lose his virginity tonight. Sharon wasn't sure how appropriate her thoughts were, but those two had put her through the most unfulfilling relationship of her life so she decided they deserved it.

Tony was wearing a sheet when he opened his bedroom door.

"Is everyone here affected by some sex pollen that I am immune to?" she asked him, but was fighting a smile. She was happy to see happy, he was like a cousin to her and she had hated to watch him slowly kill himself with alcohol.

"This is nothing unusual for him," Pepper said from the bed, wearing another sheet. Sharon rolled her eyes at her, she was just as quilty as her fiancé and had no place to chasten him.

"What do you want?" Tony asked. "Normally, I would be up for a third participant but you and I are kind of... related. Ish."

"I need rose petals," Sharon said, ignoring Tony's flirt since she knew he wasn't being serious. "And candles. Figured you'd be the person to ask for these kinds of things."

"Important night, huh?" Tony asked raising his eyebrows. Sharon laughed. "I honestly thought he wouldn't go there with you. No offence."

"None taken," she said. "They're not for us. We broke up."

Tony's eyebrows rose even more, but he told Friday the order and she announced they'd be here in five minutes. Sharon hoped Steve and Bucky had something to talk about before they'd start devouring each other.

"You're not going to light his room on fire or anything?" Tony asked suspiciously, eyeing her up and down. "I mean, wouldn't be the first time that happened in this tower."

"Do I seem like that kind of crazy ex to you?" she asked. Tony shrugged.

"They never do."

"Good night Tony. Pepper."

  
  


Sneaking around a tower full of drunk and horny superheroes, Sharon was glad that she had a spy training. She was about to sigh in relief when she arrived to Steve's and Bucky's room and it was empty, but she should've known not to count her chickens before they were hatched.

"Where did you leave your boyfriend?" Sam asked, before he noticed the buch of roses under her arm and a plastic bag full of candles. "Wow."

"I just left him," she said. "Care to help me with these?"

Sam looked at her in disbelief. "Are you asking me to set up your and Steve's romantic night?"

"Bucky and Steve's. Like I said, I left him."

"This is getting weirder and weirder," he said. She shoved the candle bag in his hand, and threw the roses on a chair. Their beds had already been pushed together, which thinking back, should've probably been a warning sign for her. She ripped off the cover and pushed it under the beds, and started ripping the petals and throwing them on the bed. Sam had started placing the candles on all surfaces and lighting them up even though he still seemed confused. "What did you do?"

"I made an equation," she said as the threw the bald rose stems to the trash. She could hear noices from the hallway so she grabbed Sam's arm and stilled to listen. "They're coming. We must go!"

She took Sam's arm and they ran and he pulled her in an empty room the last second. They peeked to the hall to see what was going on.

Sharon had been right, and she would've patted her own back for it if she handn't been so busy staring at the scene in the hallway.

Bucky had Steve pushed against the wall, his knee between Steve's legs, hands on his hips and hair. Steve was making sounds in his throat that Sharon had never imagined he could, with her he had been all gentle kisses, hands never wandering. With Bucky, his hands were all over.

"I'm not letting you go before you explain me what's going on," Sam said, holding Sharon's wrist. She wondered who of them would actually win if they started fighting. They should test it sometime, under better circumstances.

"Were Tony and I seriously the only ones who saw the sparks flying or are you all just playing dumb?" she asked.

"I think I did," Sam said after a moment. "I mean I felt like I had been dropped in a romantic comedy when he saw Bucky on the bridge and went all mopy after. I just thought that since he was with you..."

"Our relationship was doomed since the beginning," Sharon said. "I should've realized it sooner."

Sam was still holding her wrist, and she looked down at their joined hands thoughtfully.

"The path is clear," Sam said. Indeed while they were chatting Steve and Bucky had moved in their room and closed the door. Sharon cursed invardly. She had wanted to see their reaction to her decorations, but had been too invested in her and Sam's conversation.

Sam didn't let go of her hand when they ran across the hall and up the stairs, giggling like two little kids. They stopped at Sam's door.

"It's quite late," she said. Her wrist watch told her it was three am already, she should've called a cab ages ago.

"Yeah," Sam said. "I'm not really that tired."

"We could always watch another movie," she said.

"Not a romantic comedy," he agreed.

"You know, since you mentioned how bad the Valerian and Laureline movie was, I've been dying to watch it."

He shook his head in horror. "You're not making me go through that all over again."

"It'll be fun," she said, smirking. "We can laugh at it."

He looked at her for a while until he sighed deep and gave in. She smiled brightly.

The movie was worse than she had imagined, but they truly ended up having a good time while shouting at Sam's laptop screen for removing Laureline's backroud, for ruining their relationship and the poor excuse of a plot. Their lives had a more interesting plot. At some point they fell asleep, leaning on each other.

...

Sharon woke up to loud chatter and for a while she was confused where she was. Her apartment was always quiet. And there was someone in her bed, she was laying half on top of them.

"Morning," Sam said, after spitting her hair out of his mouth. She rubbed her face and sat up, rolling her shoulders. She had a mild hangover and her back was aching.

"They are going to think we hooked up," she said, looking at Sam.

"I doubt anyone will care about you spending the night when they find out about Bucky and Steve," Sam said. He yawned, and she felt the urge to yawn too. "We have bets about them."

"You do?" she asked. "And no one thought of telling me?"

"Sorry," Sam said sheepishly.

  
  


Sam was right. When they arrived in the kitchen no one looked at them twice, they were all circled around Steve and Bucky, who both had their necks covered in lovebites. Well, except Steve. When he noticed them he kicked Bucky's leg, and he looked up at Sharon.

"Did you two, um," he said. Sharon almost expected him to say 'fondue'. Tony gave them a once over, and shook his head.

"They didn't," he said. Well, that was that. Sam went to the coffee pan, and she stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do next. Bucky stood up, and picked the basket of sandwitches from the table. He offered them to Sharon, keeping his eyes on the ground.

"Sandwitch?" he said. "Vision made them. They're good. He's still working on his cooking skills but I think he's already mastered sandwitches."

Sharon took one. "Thank you."

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry," he said, putting down the basket and finally looking Sharon in the eyes. She nodded.

"Good," she said. "You did realize I wasn't dating him to annoy you? I genuenly didn't realize before yesterday. I made you cookies when you arrived."

"I know," he said, hanging his head in shame. "It's just that-" he took a deep breath. "I love him so much. Way too much. And seeing him with you hurt like hell. But that doesn't excuse my behavior towards you. I'm sorry."

She had tried to keep the firm look, but she couldn't help a smile spreading on her lips. She was proud of him. It wasn't a small thing for a guy from the forties to confess his love for a man, and she felt her eyes getting teary. She pulled him in for a hug, which seemed to surprice him but he melted into it pretty quick. He smelled of Steve's colonge.

"So how was it?" she asked curiously when she had let go of him.

"How was what?" he asked.

"The rose petals," she explained. "Did they get stuck on your skin?"

"Oh," he said, his cheeks flushing. So even the Winter Soldier had some sense of shame left. Interesting. "Right. I had forgotten about them entirely. I'm not sure. I was kind of concentrated on... other things."

Sharon laughed and nodded. That was probably how it was supposed to be. Maybe, one day, she would find someone who would make her forget about the rose petals too. She bit into her sandwitch, and glanced at Sam who was looking back. Maybe it wouldn't take so long, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> I had no plans to make Sharon/Sam happen in this, but thorough the writing progress it just kind of... happened. I know it's not explicit in this but if you liked them together feel free to think of them as canon in this one. Or does this need a sequel? Let me know! If you liked leave kudos and comment, they put a smile on my face :)


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